St. Thomas More - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Thomas More Author and Publisher - Catholic Online Facts Patron of adopted children lawyers, civil servants, politicians, and difficult marriages Birth: 1478 Beatified By: December 29th, 1886 by Pope Leo XIII Canonized By: May 19th, 1935 by Pope Pius XI Take the Saints Trivia Quiz now! Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478. His father, Sir John More, was a lawyer and judge who rose to prominence during the reign of Edward IV. His connections and wealth would help his son, Thomas, rise in station as a young man. Thomas' mother was Agnes Graunger, the first wife of John More. John would have four wives during his life, but they each died, leaving John as a widower. Thomas had two brothers and three sisters, but three of his siblings died within a year of their birth. Such tragedies were common in England during this time. It is likely that Thomas was positively influenced from a young age by his mother and siblings. He also attended St.

Anthony's School, which was said to be one of the best schools in London at that time. In 1490, he became a household page to John Morton, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England. Archbishop Morton was a Renaissance man and inspired Thomas to pursue his own education. Thomas More entered Oxford in 1492, where he would learn Latin, Greek and prepare for his future studies. In 1494, he left Oxford to become a lawyer and he trained in London until 1502 when he was finally approved to begin practice. Almost as soon as More became a lawyer, he found himself contemplating another path in life. For two years, between 1503 and 1504, More lived next to a Carthusian monastery and he found himself called to follow their lifestyle of simple piety. He often joined their spiritual exercises. By 1504, More had decided to remain in the secular world, and stood for election to Parliament. But he did not forget the pious monks who inspired his practice of the faith. Thomas More married his first wife, Jane Colt in 1505.

They would have four children together before her death in 1511. Their marriage was reportedly happy and Thomas often tutored her in music and literature. After Jane's death in 1511, Thomas quickly remarried to Alice Harpur Middleton, who was a wealthy widow. Alice was not particularly attractive, and her temperament was less docile than Jane's. The wedding took place less than a month after Jane's passing and was poorly received by his friends. It was rumored that Thomas married her because he wanted a stepmother for his four children, and she was a woman of wealth and means. It is believed the pair knew each other for some time prior to their marriage. They would have no children together. Thomas accepted Alice's daughter from her previous marriage as his own. Thomas was considered a doting father, and he often wrote letters to his children when he was away on work. He also insisted that his daughters receive the same education as his son. His daughters were well known for their academic accomplishments. In 1504, More was elected to Parliament to represent the region of Great Yarmouth, and in 1510 rose to represent London.

During his service to the people of London, he earned a reputation as being honest and effective. He became a Privy Counselor in 1514. More also honed his skills as a theologian and a writer. Among his most famous works is "Utopia," about a fictional, idealistic island society. The work is widely regarded as part satire, part social commentary, part suggestion. Utopia is considered one of the greatest works of the late Renaissance and was widely read during the Enlightenment period. It remains well by scholars read today. From 1517 on, Henry VIII took a liking to Thomas More, and gave him posts of ever increasing responsibility. In 1521, he was knighted and made Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer. The King's trust in More grew with time and More was soon made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which gave him authority over the northern portion of England on behalf of Henry. More became Lord Chancellor in 1529. More was immediately effective, working with speed and precision that is admired today. He was likely one of Henry VIII's most effective servants, and was fiercely loyal to the king.

During his tenure as Lord Chancellor, More prosecuted those accused of heresy and worked tirelessly to defend the Catholic faith in England. This was an arduous, but achievable task as long as he enjoyed Henry's favor. However, in 1530, as Henry worked to obtain an annulment from his wife, Catherine, Moore refused to sign a letter to the Pope, requesting an annulment. This was More's first time crossing Henry. The relationship between More and Henry became strained again when seeking to isolate More, Henry purged many of the clergy who supported the Pope. It became clear to all that Henry was prepared to break away from the Church in Rome, something More knew he could not condone. In 1532, More found himself unable to work for Henry VIII, whom he felt had lost his way as a Catholic. Faced with the prospect of being compelled to actively support Henry's schism with the Church, More offered his resignation, citing failing health. Henry accepted it, although he was unhappy with what he viewed as flagging loyalty. In 1533, More refused to attend the coronation of Anne Boylen, who was now the Queen of England. More instead wrote a letter of congratulations.

The letter, as opposed to his direct presence offended Henry greatly. The king viewed More's absence as an insult to his new queen and an undermining of his authority as head of the church and state. Henry then had charges trumped up against More, but More's own integrity protected him. In the first instance, he was accused of accepting bribes, but there was simply no evidence that could be obtained or manufactured. He was then accused of conspiracy against the king, because he allegedly consulted with a nun who prophesied against Henry and his wife, Anne. However, More was able to produce a letter in which he specifically instructed the nun, Elizabeth Barton, not to interfere with politics. On April 13, 1534, More was ordered to take an oath, acknowledging the legitimicies of Anne's position as queen, of Henry's self-granted annulment from Catherine, and the superior position of the King as head of the church. More accepted Henry's marriage to Anne, but refused to acknowledge Henry as head of the church, or his annulment from Catherine. This led to his arrest and imprisonment. He was locked away in the Tower of London.

He faced trial on July 1 and was convicted by a court that included Anne Boylen's own father, brother and uncle, hardly an impartial jury. Still, More had one thing going for him. He could not break the law of which he was accused if he remained silent. However, he had no defense against treachery, and several dubious witnesses were able to contrive a story that he had spoken words that had the same effect as treason. Despite a brilliant defense of himself and persuasive testimony, grounded in truth and fact, More was convicted in fifteen minutes. The court sentenced him to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, which was the traditional punishment for treason. Henry was pleased with the outcome, although likely upset that one of his favorite advisers refused, even upon pain of death, to sanction his annulment and break from Rome. Henry was a Machiavellian king and while he may have regretted the loss of More, he was more intent upon retaining his authority. As a final act of mercy, Henry commuted More's punishment to mere decapitation.

More ascended the scaffold on July 6, 1535, joking to his executioners to help him up the scaffold, but that he would see himself down. He then made a final statement, proclaiming that he was "the king's good servant, but God's first." Following his death, it was revealed that More wore a hair shirt, a garment destined to be itchy, and worn to as a sign of atonement and repentance. It became obvious to all that he was a man of deep piety, asceticism, voluntary self discipline, and penitence. More's decapitated body was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London, in an unmarked grave. His head was put on display, but his daughter Margaret possibly bribed someone to take it down. The skull may be in the vault of a church in Canterbury. Thomas More has been widely remembered as a man of tremendous integrity, and he has since been described as a martyr and canonized a saint. Pope Leo XIII beatified More in 1886, and he was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 19, 1935.

His feast day is June 22. He is the patron saint of adopted children lawyers, civil servants, politicians, and difficult marriages. Novena Prayers to St. Thomas More, Martyr & Patron Saint of Statesmen, Politicians, & Lawyers – St. Raymond of Peñafort For the election of state and local leaders who will defend life, marriage and religious liberty October 27 – November 4, 2013 ++++++ On Tuesday November 5th Virginians will elect our state and local leaders. Of all the issues at stake none is more important than the defense of the right to life, although the protection of traditional marriage and religious liberty come close in importance. Please join your fellow St. Raymond parishioners in nine days of prayer that The Lord will grant us leaders who will prioritize these principles of justice. Together let us pray in our homes or in church the daily Novena to St. Thomas More, patron of politicians (and of our diocese). All are also encouraged to pray the daily Rosary and do some form of penance during this novena. ++++++ First Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of prudence.

You never thrust yourself rashly into any serious undertaking; instead, you tested the strength of your powers and waited on God’s will in prayer and penance, then boldly carried it out without hesitation. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the virtues of patience, prudence, wisdom and courage. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you to take up my cause, confident that you will advocate for me before God’s Throne with the same zeal and diligence that marked your career on earth. If it be in accord with God’s will, obtain for me the favor I seek, namely: the election of state and local leaders who will defend life, marriage and religious liberty.” V. Pray for us, O Blessed St. Thomas More. R. That we may faithfully follow you on the hard road that leads to the narrow gate of eternal life. Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Second Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of diligence. You shunned procrastination, applied yourself with fervor to your studies, and spared no effort in achieving mastery in any skill.

Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and persistence in my preparations for all undertakings. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Third Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of industriousness. You threw yourself wholeheartedly into everything you did, and you found enjoyment even in the most serious things. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the grace of always having suitable employment, the grace to find interest in everything fitting, and the fortitude always to pursue excellence in whatever task God gives me to do. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Fourth Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a brilliant lawyer and a just and compassionate judge. You attended to the smallest details of your legal duties with the greatest care, and you were unflagging in your pursuit of justice tempered by mercy.

Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the grace to overcome every temptation to laxity, arrogance, and rash judgment in my (legal) duties. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Fifth Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of humility. You never allowed pride to lead you to take on enterprises beyond your abilities; even in the midst of earthly wealth and honor, you never forgot your total dependence on your Heavenly Father. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the grace of an increase in humility, and the wisdom not to overestimate my own powers. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Sixth Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model husband and father. You were loving and faithful to both of your wives, and a diligent provider and example of virtue for your children.

Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the grace of a happy home, peace in my family, and the strength to persevere in chastity according to my state of life. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Seventh Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a model of Christian fortitude. You suffered bereavement, disgrace, poverty, imprisonment and a violent death; yet you bore all with the strength and good cheer for which you were known throughout your life. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me the grace to bear all the crosses that God sends me with patience and joy. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Eighth Day Dear St. Thomas More, in your earthly life, you were a loyal child of God and a steadfast son of the Church, never taking your eyes off the crown for which you strove.

Even in the face of death, you trusted in God to give you the victory, and He rewarded you with the palm of martyrdom. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for me and mine the grace of final perseverance and protection from sudden and unprovided death, so that we may one day enjoy the Beatific Vision in your glorious company. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St. Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) Now is said the Litany of St. Thomas More. ++++++ Ninth Day Dear St. Thomas More, you spent your whole earthly life preparing for the life to come. Everything you endured prepared you not only for the glory God wished to bestow upon you in heaven, but for your work as the patron of lawyers, judges and statesmen, and steadfast friend to all who call upon you. Through your prayers and intercession, obtain for us aid in all our necessities, both corporal and spiritual, an follow in your footsteps, until at last we are safely home with you in the mansions our Father has prepared for us in heaven. Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Repeat: Glorious St.

Thomas More, I beg you… (From First Day) ++++++ Litany of St. Thomas More (To be prayed each day after the Novena prayers that follow) V. Lord, have mercy R. Lord, have mercy. V. Christ, have mercy R. Christ have mercy V. Lord, have mercy R. Lord, have mercy. V. Christ hear us R. Christ, graciously hear us V. St. Thomas More, Saint and Martyr, R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Patron of Statesmen, Politicians and Lawyers. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Patron of Justices, Judges and Magistrates. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Model of Integrity and Virtue in Public and Private Life. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Servant of the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Model of Holiness in the Sacrament of Marriage. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Teacher of his Children in the Catholic Faith. R.

Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Defender of the Weak and the Poor. R. Pray for us. V. St. Thomas More, Promoter of Human Life and Dignity. R. Pray for us. V. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. R. Spare us, O Lord. V. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. R. Graciously hear us, O Lord. V. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world. R. Have mercy on us. Let us pray: O Glorious St. Thomas More, Patron of Statesmen, Politicians, Judges and Lawyers, your life of prayer and penance and your zeal for justice, integrity and firm principle in public and family life led you to the path of martyrdom and sainthood. Intercede for our Statesmen, Politicians, Judges and Lawyers, that they may be courageous and effective in their defense and promotion of the sanctity of human life – the foundation of all other human rights. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

++++++ Patron Saint of Politicians | ChainzOnline Religious-Jewelry Blog ChainzOnline Religious-Jewelry Blog Patron Saint of Politicians By DaveS | October 9, 2008 Well… given the upcoming presidential election and the recent $700B bailout out bill I thought it might be a nice idea to remind politicians, government officials we elect, of who their patron saint is… St Thomas More. In the event you didn’t already know, Sir Thomas More was indeed a politician. Born in London in 1478 and studied law at Oxford and became Lord Chancellor of England. He’s also the patron saint of lawyers. Tried and convicted of treason (politicians take note of this) he was beheaded on July 6, 1535. I really don’t expect many politicians, lawyers or other government officials to be reading this nor do I wish to push any religious beliefs in your direction. But especially during these troubled times a bit of divine intervention, a little patronly direction for doing what’s right, (whether or not you believe in such a thing) wouldn’t be such a bad thing would it?

Here’s a prayer to Saint Thomas More I found at I found rather appropriate… Pray that, for the glory of God and in the pursuit of His justice, I may be trustworthy with confidences, keen in study, accurate in analysis, correct in conclusion, able in argument, loyal to clients, honest with all, courteous to adversaries, ever attentive to conscience. Sit with me at my desk and listen with me to my clients’ tales. Read with me in my library and stand always beside me so that today I shall not, to win a point, lose my soul. Pray that my family may find in me what yours found in you: friendship and courage, cheerfulness and charity, diligence in duties, counsel in adversity, patience in pain—their good servant, and God’s first. Amen. Saint of the Day for June 22 (February 7, 1478 – July 6, 1535 ) Saint Thomas More’s Story His belief that no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of Christ cost Thomas More his life.

Beheaded on Tower Hill, London, on July 6, 1535, he steadfastly refused to approve Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England. Described as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent lawyer, gentleman, father of four children, and chancellor of England. An intensely spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking with Rome, and denying the pope as head. More was committed to the Tower of London to await trial for treason: not swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. Upon conviction, More declared he had all the councils of Christendom and not just the council of one realm to support him in the decision of his conscience. Reflection Four hundred years later, in 1935, Thomas More was canonized a saint of God. Few saints are more relevant to our time. In the year 2000, in fact, Pope John Paul II named him patron of political leaders.

The supreme diplomat and counselor, he did not compromise his own moral values in order to please the king, knowing that true allegiance to authority is not blind acceptance of everything that authority wants. King Henry himself realized this and tried desperately to win his chancellor to his side because he knew More was a man whose approval counted, a man whose personal integrity no one questioned. But when Thomas resigned as chancellor, unable to approve the two matters that meant most to Henry, the king had to get rid of Thomas More. Saint Thomas More is the Patron Saint of: Attorneys The Sci Fi Catholic: Saint Thomas More, Patron Saint of Lawyers, Politicians, Science Fiction Writers, and...Dinosaurs? Saint Thomas More, Patron Saint of Lawyers, Politicians, Science Fiction Writers, and...Dinosaurs? Today we celebrate St. Thomas More, England's famous lawyer, who was executed for treason by Henry VIII when he refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn or Henry's claim to be head of the Church. His good sense of humor, which remained intact right up to his execution, is legendary. And he is a man, not just for one season or two, but for all of them. St.

Thomas More is also, of course, the author of the novel Utopia , which criticizes English law by comparing it to a fictional society where everyone holds property in common, nobody works more than six hours a day, euthanasia is encouraged, and crimes rarely happen. How Utopia got to work so well and why the people there don't act like real people, I can't explain. Nonetheless, St. Thomas More's Utopian vision makes him an early sf writer and an important influence on all later writers of Utopias and dystopias. As there is no official saint of science fiction writers at present, I humbly propose St. Thomas More. And of course, if St. Thomas More is patron of sf writings, especially Utopias, that would make him the patron saint of my favorite Utopia, the Dinotopia picture books of James Gurney. The original Dinotopia is a wonder to behold, as its sequel, The World Beneath .

However, the third one, First Flight , sucks, to put it mildly, but I just learned--I tend to lose track of these things--that a fourth volume, Journey to Chandara , came out in 2007, and I am going to have to fix my lack of familiarity with it as soon as possible. Gurney, who started painting dinosaurs when he produced the Postal Service's dinosaur stamps, fills his books with lavish artwork depicting an idyllic world where peacenik dinosaurs frolic with exceptionally cute children while the protagonist, who looks strikingly like Kurt Russell as he appeared in Tombstone , builds steampunkish inventions and goes on adventures or something. Besides being beautiful, Dinotopia is apparently an art historian's in-joke, as many of the carefully detailed sculptures, buildings, reliefs, and other artworks filling out the Dinotopia universe are based on famous pieces, reworked to incorporate dinosaur motifs. So the books please me as an archaeologist as well as an sf fan and lover of dinosaurs. Sadly, Dinotopia is strangely resistent to interpretation into other media. I once attempted Alan Dean Foster's adult novel Dinotopia Lost , which depicts Dinotopia being invaded by cutthroat pirates.

By about fifty pages in, I was rooting for the pirates, and by about a hundred pages in, I gave up. In novel form, Dinotopia suffers one of the great drawbacks of Utopian fiction--the unbelievable, condescending, perfect characters are really irritating. I also failed to make it through the television miniseries , which is now used to torture prisoners in third-world countries. One scene in the miniseries was genuinely moving, however, and managed for just a few seconds to evoke that sense of childlike wonder so effortlessly delivered by the picture books: a group of the human characters were engaged in some sort of generic Gaea-worship meditation thingy, their meditation enhanced by the rhythmic stomping and tail-thumping of a group of dinosaurs. The image of the dinosaurs slowly pounding the Earth as the sun sets and the humans sit in lotus position really manages to be awe-inspiring. Anyway, where was I? Yes, since St. Thomas More's work inspired subsequent Utopian fiction, and since it undoubtedly inspired Dinotopia , or at least its title, and since Dinotopia is full of wise, ancient dinosaurs who've learned how to live as one with nature or something, St.

Thomas More could be the patron saint of dinosaurs. As the patron saint of dinosaurs, he would of course be the patron saint of paleontologists. And since lots of people, including ones who should know better , think archaeology has something to do with dinosaurs , the Vatican could goof and assign him as the patron saint of archaeologists, which would make him my patron saint. Get it? Now, for a real reflection on the great St. Thomas More, stop by Pro Ecclesia , from which I ruthlessly stole that icon. Saint Thomas More, pray for us! Posted by D. G. D. Davidson at 11:06 PM Labels: saints Saint Thomas More, Patron Saint of Lawyers, Politicians, Science Fiction Writers, and...Dinosaurs? Today we celebrate St. Thomas More, England's famous lawyer, who was executed for treason by Henry VIII when he refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn or Henry's claim to be head of the Church. His good sense of humor, which remained intact right up to his execution, is legendary. And he is a man, not just for one season or two, but for all of them. St.

Thomas More is also, of course, the author of the novel Utopia , which criticizes English law by comparing it to a fictional society where everyone holds property in common, nobody works more than six hours a day, euthanasia is encouraged, and crimes rarely happen. How Utopia got to work so well and why the people there don't act like real people, I can't explain. Nonetheless, St. Thomas More's Utopian vision makes him an early sf writer and an important influence on all later writers of Utopias and dystopias. As there is no official saint of science fiction writers at present, I humbly propose St. Thomas More. And of course, if St. Thomas More is patron of sf writings, especially Utopias, that would make him the patron saint of my favorite Utopia, the Dinotopia picture books of James Gurney. The original Dinotopia is a wonder to behold, as its sequel, The World Beneath .

However, the third one, First Flight , sucks, to put it mildly, but I just learned--I tend to lose track of these things--that a fourth volume, Journey to Chandara , came out in 2007, and I am going to have to fix my lack of familiarity with it as soon as possible. Gurney, who started painting dinosaurs when he produced the Postal Service's dinosaur stamps, fills his books with lavish artwork depicting an idyllic world where peacenik dinosaurs frolic with exceptionally cute children while the protagonist, who looks strikingly like Kurt Russell as he appeared in Tombstone , builds steampunkish inventions and goes on adventures or something. Besides being beautiful, Dinotopia is apparently an art historian's in-joke, as many of the carefully detailed sculptures, buildings, reliefs, and other artworks filling out the Dinotopia universe are based on famous pieces, reworked to incorporate dinosaur motifs. So the books please me as an archaeologist as well as an sf fan and lover of dinosaurs. Sadly, Dinotopia is strangely resistent to interpretation into other media. I once attempted Alan Dean Foster's adult novel Dinotopia Lost , which depicts Dinotopia being invaded by cutthroat pirates.

By about fifty pages in, I was rooting for the pirates, and by about a hundred pages in, I gave up. In novel form, Dinotopia suffers one of the great drawbacks of Utopian fiction--the unbelievable, condescending, perfect characters are really irritating. I also failed to make it through the television miniseries , which is now used to torture prisoners in third-world countries. One scene in the miniseries was genuinely moving, however, and managed for just a few seconds to evoke that sense of childlike wonder so effortlessly delivered by the picture books: a group of the human characters were engaged in some sort of generic Gaea-worship meditation thingy, their meditation enhanced by the rhythmic stomping and tail-thumping of a group of dinosaurs. The image of the dinosaurs slowly pounding the Earth as the sun sets and the humans sit in lotus position really manages to be awe-inspiring. Anyway, where was I? Yes, since St. Thomas More's work inspired subsequent Utopian fiction, and since it undoubtedly inspired Dinotopia , or at least its title, and since Dinotopia is full of wise, ancient dinosaurs who've learned how to live as one with nature or something, St.

Thomas More could be the patron saint of dinosaurs. As the patron saint of dinosaurs, he would of course be the patron saint of paleontologists. And since lots of people, including ones who should know better , think archaeology has something to do with dinosaurs , the Vatican could goof and assign him as the patron saint of archaeologists, which would make him my patron saint. Get it? Now, for a real reflection on the great St. Thomas More, stop by Pro Ecclesia , from which I ruthlessly stole that icon. Saint Thomas More, pray for us! A Prayer to Saint Thomas More, Patron Saint of Lawyers A Prayer to Saint Thomas More A Prayer to Saint Thomas More A Prayer for Lawyers By Scott P. Richert Updated November 10, 2016. This prayer invokes St. Thomas More as the patron saint of lawyers, asking him to pray to God for the grace to rise to the highest standards of that profession. It also makes reference, in the final verse, to St. Thomas More’s status as the patron saint of large families; it would be appropriate for a non-lawyer to pray the final verse as a separate prayer.

A Prayer to Saint Thomas More for Lawyers Thomas More, counselor of law and statesman of integrity, merry martyr and most human of saints: Pray that, for the glory of God and in the pursuit of His justice, I may be trustworthy with confidences, keen in study, accurate in analysis, correct in conclusion, able in argument, loyal to clients, honest with all, courteous to adversaries, ever attentive to conscience. Sit with me at my desk and listen with me to my clients' tales. Read with me in my library and stand always beside me so that today I shall not, to win a point, lose my soul. Pray that my family may find in me what yours found in you: friendship and courage, cheerfulness and charity, diligence in duties, counsel in adversity, patience in pain—their good servant, and God's first. Amen. An Explanation of the Prayer to Saint Thomas More for Lawyers We usually think of patron saints as interceding on our behalf, and they certainly do so; but when a saint is a patron of a particular profession, he or she is also helping us to help others through our work. In this prayer, a lawyer asks St.

Thomas More to help him serve his clients in a Christian manner, so that, in doing so, he might serve God as well. Rather than praying for earthly victory, the lawyer asks St. Thomas More to help him safeguard his soul. The prayer also addresses St. Thomas More as the patron saint of large families, reminding us that it is too easy to let our work consume us. Serving others through our profession should be part and parcel of being a good son or daughter, husband or wife, and father or mother. Definitions of Words Used in the Prayer to Saint Thomas More for Lawyers Counselor: someone who gives advice; in this case, an attorney or lawyer Statesman: a political leader who is skillful and respected Integrity: moral standing or uprightness Martyr: a person who has suffered death for his Christian faith Confidences: secrets Post by Guest Author (c) zoooom fotosearch.com If you had to name a patron saint of the Internet, whom would you choose? By 1999, a movement had sprung up among Catholic dot-com workers to petition Pope John Paul II for their own patron saint. And they had someone in mind: the learned Spanish bishop, Saint Isidore of Seville.

Because Saint Isidore died in 672, he obviously never surfed the Web. That tiny detail did not trouble his supporters, however. They pointed out that in his lifetime Isidore compiled a 30-volume encyclopedia of all knowledge then extant. This encyclopedia, the dot-com Catholics said, could be regarded as the world’s first database. At this writing, the Holy Father has not yet responded to the request to make Saint Isidore the patron of the Internet. If today the pope were to give Saint Isidore the nod, he would be playing a game of catch-up. Over the last three years, thanks to Web sites, chat rooms and e-mail, the enthusiasm for Saint Isidore among Catholics who work in the Internet industry and Catholics who surf the Web has made his patronage an unofficial fact. Deciding which saint gets to be patron of what cause has always been a grassroots movement. From time to time popes have officially appointed a patron saint (Pope John Paul II, for example, has named Saint Francis of Assisi patron saint of ecology and Saint Thomas More patron saint of statesmen and politicians).

But by and large, associating a particular saint with a particular need is a manifestation of devotion from the folks in the pews. Saint Isidore is not the only saint who has been “updated.” In our day we find Saint Helen as patron of divorced people, Saint Margaret of Cortona for single mothers, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga for AIDS patients and their caregivers, Saint Benedict Joseph Labré for homeless people, Saint Clare of Assisi for television, Saint Martin de Porres for those who suffer discrimination and Saint Monica for lapsed Catholics. Powerful Patrons The idea of a patron saint is as old as the Church and, as is the case with so many aspects of Catholicism, it comes to us from the Romans. In ancient Rome, a patron was a man or woman of wealth, status and influence. Just as a teacher will spend extra time with a promising student or a corporate mentor will guide up-and-coming junior executives, a patron served as a benefactor and advocate for a lucky handful of deserving clients. If a client was sick, the patron found him a good doctor. If a client had a run-in with the law, the patron sorted things out with the authorities.

If a client fell into debt, the patron paid his bills. An example from the life of one of our greatest saints will illustrate the old Roman patron-client relationship. In 370, the 16-year-old Augustine was in despair. After only one year away at school his parents had called him back home. Patricius and Monica had managed to scrape together enough money for their son’s first year of schooling, but now it was apparent that the cost of keeping him in the academy at Madaura was beyond their means. For help, Patricius turned to his patron, Romanianus, the wealthiest and most important man in the district. After hearing Patricius’s need, Romanianus offered to subsidize Augustine’s entire education—and not at some backwater like Madaura but at the university at Carthage, the Harvard of Roman Africa. This episode from the life of Saint Augustine is typical of the patron-client relationships that existed throughout the Roman world. It is also the earthly model of the relationship we have with patron saints. Try to think of it this way: We are Augustine’s parents and we’ve got a problem; the influential person we turn to for help is the patron saint.

All Catholics know from personal experience how powerful the prayers of the saints can be before the throne of God, but how does Saint Christopher get to be the patron of travelers? And why is Saint Lucy the saint invoked when someone has an eye ailment? There’s something called a principle of affinity at work here. We look at a saint and we see something in the saint’s life that reminds us of our own situation. Doctors venerate Saints Cosmas and Damian because they were doctors. Travelers invoke Saint Christopher because during his life he carried travelers safely across a dangerous river. Saint Lucy is the patron saint of eye ailments because in the course of her martyrdom her own eyes were torn out by her executioners. Sometimes this principle of affinity operates in reverse. Think of Saint Sebastian, the good-looking martyr who’s always depicted stuck through with arrows. Saint Sebastian is the patron saint of archers, not because he was an archer himself but because he was the archers’ target. Another good example is Saint Lydwina: She took a nasty fall on the ice that left her a lifelong invalid, and so Lydwina is the patron saint of ice skaters.

Divorced and Single Mothers Going back to the discussion of patron saints for modern causes, we’ll begin with Saint Helen (249-329). Because she found the True Cross in Jerusalem, for many centuries devotion to Saint Helen has been linked to devotion to the Holy Cross. It would be hard to find a painting, statue or holy card of her that does not depict her embracing the cross. But there is another, sadder facet of Helen’s life. After 22 years of marriage, Helen’s husband, Constantius, divorced her in order to make a politically advantageous marriage with a young woman who was a member of Rome’s imperial family. Clearly, Saint Helen would be a natural choice as patron of divorced and divorcing people, so why has this devotion to her arisen only recently? For most of the 1,700 years since Helen’s death, divorce was rare, even among non-Catholics. Among Catholics it was almost unthinkable. Today, unfortunately, when divorce has become commonplace, Saint Helen is offered to unhappy spouses as a heavenly patron who can truly sympathize with their anguish.

Saint Margaret of Cortona (1247-1297) was only 13 or 14 when she became the mistress of a young nobleman named Arsenio. Although her lover made it clear that he would never marry her, Margaret lived with Arsenio for nine years, and even had a son with him. She hoped at some point her lover would change his mind and become her husband. He never did. When Arsenio was murdered, the shock caused Margaret to reevaluate the path she had chosen. In time, her conversion led her to take vows as a Franciscan sister. When she was canonized in 1728, Margaret was held up to the faithful as “a second Magdalene,” a woman who had turned away from her sinful life and spent the rest of her days in prayer and penance. Children born out of wedlock were not unheard-of in the 18th century. Why then did Church authorities not make Saint Margaret the patron of single mothers in 1728? The most likely answer is that they feared it would suggest the Church was condoning illegitimacy.

Saint Margaret remains the patron of anyone—woman or man—who has turned away from a sinful life. But today she is also the patron of mothers who, for whatever reason, are raising their children alone. Television and Homeless People With Saint Clare of Assisi we come to one of those infrequent instances when a pope assigned the area of patronage himself. In 1958, Pope Pius XII named Saint Clare patron of television. He based his decision on the testimony of one of the witnesses in Clare’s canonization proceedings. One Christmas Eve, Clare was so ill she could not leave her bed to attend Midnight Mass. After all the nuns had left for the chapel, Clare sighed and said, “Look, Lord God, I have been left here alone with you.” At that moment, she had a vision of the Mass. Not only could she see what was happening in the distant church, but she could also hear the organ music and the singing as clearly as if she were present. Pope Pius interpreted this miracle as the first live broadcast. Christ once said of himself, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Luke 9:58).

In his zeal to imitate Our Lord, Saint Benedict Joseph Labré (1748-1783) decided to apply these words literally to his own life. He became a full-time pilgrim. Year after year he walked from one great shrine in Europe to another. He never begged, but relied on whatever strangers were moved to give him. He slept outdoors, and he never had a home. In 1774, at age 26, Benedict Joseph decided to remain permanently in Rome. He lived in the Colosseum, attended Mass daily at the Church of Santa Maria dei Monti nearby, and spent his days visiting the churches of Rome. Yet Benedict Joseph was not a romantic figure. He never bathed or washed his clothes. Some custodians, offended by the look and the smell of him, drove him out of their churches. When Benedict Joseph died, however, all his eccentricities were forgotten, or at least forgiven. Immediately he became the focus of a grassroots devotion. The priests of Santa Maria dei Monti had a death mask made of his face, preserved his filthy rags as relics and buried him in the church he loved.

After a rigorous investigation to make certain that he was neither mentally disturbed nor a fraud, Pope Leo XIII canonized Benedict Joseph Labré in 1883. Since then he has been popularly acclaimed as patron saint of homeless people. Lapsed Catholics, AIDS and People Experiencing Discrimination Although it may seem to be a modern phenomenon, Catholics who have given up practicing the faith have always been with us. Saint Monica (331-387) experienced this firsthand when her favorite child, Augustine, turned away from the Church and became a Manichee, a member of a pagan sect that believed there were two gods—one good, the other evil—locked in eternal conflict for human souls. According to the Manichees, throughout history many different “Jesuses” had come to earth to assist humankind in the struggle against evil, but none of them had ever managed to conquer the powers of darkness and save humankind. Monica was so hurt and angry when she learned that Augustine had become a Manichee that she barred the door and refused to let her son in the house. For 12 years she stormed heaven with her prayers and tears, begging God to bring her son back to the Catholic faith.

One night, Monica had a dream. She saw herself standing on a narrow wooden beam with a handsome, radiant young man. The youth told her to dry her tears because one day her son Augustine would be with her. When she told Augustine her dream, he said they could indeed be together if she became a Manichee. Monica, who had a quick wit and sharp tongue, answered, “He didn’t say I was to be with you. He said you were to be with me!” In the end, of course, Monica’s prayers were answered. Augustine took instruction from the great Saint Ambrose and was baptized by him on the night of the Easter Vigil, April 24-25, 387. Saint Monica’s place as patron of lapsed Catholics was made official in the 15th century when Pope Eugenius IV established a confraternity in her honor to pray for Catholics who strayed from the faith. The Confraternity of Saint Monica is still in existence today, and like their patron, the confraternity’s members pray with special fervor for family members who have left the Church.

Many readers will remember the days when Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) was held up as a model of purity for young people. And he was an excellent model—as a member of one of Renaissance Italy’s most powerful ruling families, he was expected to be sexually promiscuous. But the devout, serious-minded Aloysius avoided boys his own age whom he considered morally loose, and walked out of any social function that took a turn toward the lascivious. When Aloysius entered the Jesuit novitiate in Rome, he was assigned to work in one of the city’s hospitals. He hated the job. Aloysius was squeamish and 16th-century hospitals were far from tidy and antiseptic. In January 1591, plague struck Rome. The need for nurses was so great that even the Jesuits’ Father General worked in the wards. In spite of his dread of the disease, Aloysius summoned all his courage and set to work. He went out into the streets and carried the sick and the dying to the hospital. He washed the patients, dressed them in fresh clothes, fed them and found them a bed or at least a pallet to lie on.

He did not shrink from any task, no matter how repulsive. Such close contact with a deadly illness proved fatal. Within a few short weeks, Aloysius contracted the plague and died. He was 23 years old. For his compassion and courage in the face of an incurable disease, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga has become the patron of both AIDS sufferers and their caregivers. Saint Martin de Porres (1575-1639), the patron of all those who suffer discrimination, knew prejudice from the moment of his birth. His unmarried mother, Ana Velazquez, was a freed slave. His father, Don Juan de Porres, was a Spanish gentleman. Because Martin was born with the features and dark complexion of his African mother, Don Juan refused to acknowledge his illegitimate son. Martin had a calling to the religious life, but his ancestry proved to be a liability. By law in Peru, descendants of Africans and Indians were barred from becoming full members of religious orders.

The only route open to Martin was to ask the Dominicans of Holy Rosary Friary in Lima to accept him as a donado, a layman who performed menial tasks in the friary in return for the privilege of wearing the habit and living in the religious community. After eight years at Holy Rosary, the prior, Juan de Lorenzana, decided to turn a blind eye to the law and permit Martin to take his vows as a Dominican brother. But Holy Rosary was home to 300 men, and not all were as open-minded as Prior de Lorenzana. One of the novices called Martin a “mulatto dog.” One of the priests mocked him for being illegitimate and descended from slaves. Incredibly, a lifetime of scorn and insults did not turn Martin into an angry, resentful man. He bore sneers and contempt with heroic patience. It would be going too far to say that by his example he converted every bigot in Peru but, by the time he died, Martin had won the affection and respect of many of his fellow Dominicans as well as a host of people outside the friary. Distinctions of class and race were forgotten at Martin’s funeral.

After the Requiem Mass had been said, the viceroy of Peru, the archbishop of Mexico, the bishop of Cuzco and the judge of the Royal Court lifted the coffin of this poor, illegitimate man of mixed race and carried it to the grave. Saints: Our ‘Good Neighbors’ Catholics are intensely attached to our saints. We regard these heavenly intercessors not only as sources of inspiration, but also as our “good neighbors,” as the English mystic Julian of Norwich described them. Saints are faithful and reliable friends who come to our help during times of trouble. Although times change, our need for the help of the saints remains constant. And so, in every age, Catholics have assigned new areas of patronage to saints who have been longtime favorites.

Question: Who is the patron saint of politicians and lawyers?
Answer: St Thomas More